I'll Be
by spongebobsmyhero
Summary: ON HOLD. He never wanted anything more than a normal life, with normal parents; a normal girlfriend. But for Joe, it would never be that way. Especially now that there's someone new in his life that may change him forever. But sometimes we don't want change. And who knew you could find so much in common with someone so different? Jick/Joick. Non-incest. Don't like, don't read.
1. Intro

Joe's P.O.V.

I finished up cleaning up my last table for the night, and worked my way over to the kitchen. I put all my dishes in the sink, and started washing them. Someone came from behind me, and said, "Hey, Joe. I'll take over from here. It's a Friday night. You go enjoy yourself." I turned around and gave Tom a fake smile and said, "Thanks, Tom." He smiled back at me, and said, "No problem, kid." I was halfway out the door when I hollered to him, "See ya Monday, Tom!" He waved, and then I was out the door. I didn't have a car, so I had to walk home from work. I didn't mind.

I stared up at the sky, and reflected back on my pathetic life. My name is Joseph Hart (Yeah, yeah, I know that's the name of some famous soccer player in England. But they're not the same person. I just like that last name, and thought it fit him well. :D) But most people just call me Joe. I am 17 years old, almost 18. I live in a small town in Texas called Harmony. I've always thought that it was a beautiful name to give to such a simple little city. It's one of those little towns where it's impossible not to know everyone who lived around. Don't get me wrong, if there was ever a place in the world where I belonged, it was here. But if it weren't for my two best friends, Selena and Demi, then I would be miserable. Yeah, my two best friends are girls. Say what you will. But all the guys here were huge ass holes, and womanizers, and I just didn't want to hang around a bunch of pigs.

I guess I was a pretty quiet kid overall. I just really didn't want to cause trouble. I made straight A's, but I made sure to stay out of everyone's way. I used to be the exact opposite, just asking for pain and trouble. Now I realized that I had nothing to prove to anyone, so I just quit everything all together.

You would think that I would have a great life, considering my parents were the richest folks in town. I don't mean to brag, because there was absolutely nothing to brag about when it came to my parents. Yeah, they were rich, but they were cold-hearted and greedy too. I was their only child, and they didn't care about me. While they slept in their luxurious bed, getting perfect sleep, I got knots in my back from sleeping on our lumpy, ratty couch. They had plenty of money, food, clothes, and I had nothing. They taught me that nothing is for free, not even their love. Hell, I could never make enough money to buy their love. Anyway, I had been working at Bob's Diner (That's literally what it's called.) since I was 14. Selena and Demi got along just fine without having to work, and their parents had not even half of the income of mine! Three years of work and I was still only a bus boy. Though he was 3 years older than me, and had been working twice as long, Tom was the only one I could relate to here. If I needed advice, I didn't turn to Sel and Demi. I turned to him. He's had an even worse life than I had Ever since his brother committed suicide while standing drunken in front of a train, his family's never been the same. Poor guy.

I sighed as I finally arrived "home." I threw my apron over the coat rack by the door. I didn't bother to yell out, "Mom, Dad! I'm home from work!" anymore. It wasn't hard to figure out that they didn't give a damn. It was funny how everything in this house was incredibly furnished and luxury except for what belonged to me. I plopped onto the ratty old couch, and squeezed my eyes shut, preparing for the long weekend ahead.

* * *

So, that was the intro. Originall, I posted this on YouTube, but I'm posting it here now, too. Tell me what you think? I'm sorry it's so short. The limits on YouTube for each video description is really restricting...

With Love, Carlie :D


	2. Don't you see it in my eyes?

Joe's P.O.V.

I checked my watch for the third time this morning. The bus should've been here already. I pulled out my iPod, my most prized possession, and set the headphones in my ears. I pressed the 'shuffle' button, and my favorite song came on; I'll Be by Edwin McCain. Music was my life, and as long as it was with me, I could live with myself. I sighed, and glanced around and tried to enjoy the scenery around me. My house was the last stop the bus came to because my house was the end of the road. The house next to ours was empty. No one had lived in there ever since I can remember. Before I knew it, the bus pulled to a stop in front of me within a matter of seconds. I slung my backpack over one shoulder, and hopped on, nodding to the bus driver. "Shelly." She smiled to me. "Joe." With that, I made my way towards the back of the bus, where Demi and I always sat. Demi lived a couple of streets away from me, and Selena lived so close to the school that she just walked. The bus was unusually chatty today; I noticed that it was mostly girls babbling on. All the guys were barely holding their heads up as their eyelids drooped. I plopped down next to Demi, and asked, "What's all the commotion about?"

As soon as she acknowledged me next to her, she squealed. "JOE! Did you hear?" Her face was pink and bubbly, and she looked exceptionally made-up today. Was there something I didn't know? "Hear what? Why are all the girls jumping out of their skins?" She giggled, and replied, "Because! There's going to be a new kid at school tomorrow!" What was the big deal? I mean, we almost never get new kids, because no one really moves here. It's not like there are big business men that jump at the opportunity to accept a job offering down here in Harmony. This little southern town didn't have much to offer. "Okay... so? Why is that a big deal?" She was still jumpy and she said, "This is no ordinary new kid! It's Nick Jonas!" As soon as she said it, almost all the girls on the bus screamed. "Okay, ow! Nick Jonas? Like the famous singer? Why?" She smiled her widest smile, and squealed, "Who cares! He's coming to OUR school! Aren't you excited?" Rolling my eyes, I said, "Sure. I'm ecstatic. Don't you see it in my eyes?"

"Oh, come on Joe. You're not even a little happy that we have a CELEBRITY moving to our community?" I shook my head once, and said, "Nope," popping the 'p.' "Not even a little. What difference does it make? It's just one more jerk added to our population. Only he'll be even more of a player, because people are going to stick to him like glue." She rolled her eyes. "You don't know that. Maybe he's really sweet." I smiled at her foolishness. "You only think that. That's because he's on the cover of every teen magazine. The media has brainwashed every teenage girl in the country." She looked down and mumbled, "He's known globally, actually." I did my best to hold in my laughter. She looked back up at me, and said what any typical girl her age would've said. "You're just jealous." I nodded, my face utterly serious now. "Jealous indeed. Because I'd much rather be a spoiled brat who thinks they're 'the shit.' " Now I actually did burst out into a laugh. Demi crossed her arms, and stuck her tongue out at me. I chuckled, and we chatted a little until the bus came to a stop at the school.

As soon as the bus made that "kuh-ch-shh" sound indicating it had finally stopped, everyone raced to the doors, desperate to escape this crowded, sweaty, stuffy bus, and to get outside and greet the beautiful fresh air.

Soon, Demi met up with Selena, and so began my typical day; walking with my two babbling, boy-crazy best friends while shoving my hands into my pockets, staring at my shoes, and listening to the musical symphony of my thoughts. Some people might say that I led a lonely life, considering that I hardly ever spoke to my only friends. But as long as I could keep the melody in my heart, I got by.

Then, the bell rang, signaling class time, so we silently parted ways, and I headed towards first period.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	3. Dreams

Joe's P.O.V.

(Lunchtime!)Throughout the whole day, every class I went to was chalked full of jittery girls who all screamed only one name. "Nick Jonas!" someone shouted, and before I could even think to cover my ears, there was a pounding of ear-shattering shrieks. It was only Monday and I was already sick of that name. He hadn't even arrived yet! I rolled my eyes, and continued walking to the cafeteria, keeping my eye out for Demi and Selena. I finally found them amongst yet another group of giggling girls, go figure. Afraid they would be suffocated by the growing crowd, I grabbed their wrists, and pulled them away to a random lunch line.

Demi and Selena giggled, and Selena said, "Oh yeah, Joe! So Demi told me how you didn't seem too pepped up about…" she had to whisper so no one would scream. "Nick Jonas." But even when just she said, it, she and Demi couldn't even stop themselves from letting out, a soft, high-pitched squeal. "No, I'm not necessarily 'pepped up about it.'" We grabbed our lunch trays, and she replied, "Why not! What's so bad about a famous, amazing, hot celebrity?" I shook my head, giving a slight smile. Shrugging my shoulders, I said, "There's nothing bad about it. Well, I AM tired of all these girls threatening to make me deaf." They both had confused looks on their faces. "What do you mean?" said Demi. I sighed, and covered my ears. Then I shouted, "OMG! NICK JONAS!" Just as I had predicted, there was an earth-rattling roar of screeching teenage girls. Demi and Sel giggled, and I continued, "I just think that we'd be better off without him, and all this screaming. And besides, out of all these people screaming their love for him, he can only date one person. Or several. Either way, he'll hurt lots of people." Sel shook her head at me, and she said, "Oh, just let the people live their fantasies, will you?" I smirked, and said, "Not without a fight." We all laughed together, and finally sat down at a table to eat our food.

…Late that night, after Joe gets home from work at Bob's Diner…

I shivered as a bead of cold sweat dribbled down the back of my neck. Around me was nothingness. It was too dark to see anything, including shadows and shapes, or the moon and the stars. But it was freezing cold, and I had to hold myself tightly to stay warm. There was something I was supposed to be looking for, but I wasn't sure what. I just kept pursuing my search. With each step I took, there was a "crunch" as my foot crushed the fragile earth beneath me. Then, suddenly, laughter filled the empty air in front of me, forcing pictures of smiles to burn into my memory. I smiled as the giggles danced around me. The voice that they belonged to sounded so perfect, like sweet honey. It made me want to sing, so I started to hum along while they continued to chuckle. Suddenly the laughter stopped, and I felt cool, sweet breath on my cheeks. I caught a tiny glimpse of the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. Their lips pressed to my jaw line, and just as I was about to beg them for more, they quickly broke away from me, teasing me. Whoever it was they whispered seductively into my ear, "Come with me." It was impossible for me not to obey. Then to my horrible dismay, a heavy, lung-filling mist formed all around us, and I could hear his/her cries. I searched for hours to find out where they disappeared to, but it was pointless. They were gone forever in the thick cloud of smoke, and there was nothing I could do.

I jolted awake with tears streaming down my face, as always. I had that dream quite often, actually, and I still hadn't gotten over it. I still could not determine whether the person was a girl or a boy, but either way, they were still mesmerizingly gorgeous, and they always slipped from my fingers. Always.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	4. Nick Jonas

Joe's P.O.V.

I tossed and turned on the small, ratty couch, unable to get a wink of sleep. I glanced at the clock which told me there was at least another hour and a half until it was time to get ready for school. I sighed, rubbing my eyes, and shaking off the sleepless night. I had been awake since the dream. I tried, and failed to remember anything more about it. Suddenly, I got a major headache. Ugh, perfect way to start off my least favorite day, Tuesday. I slowly shuffled off the couch and to the shower taking as much time as I pleased, letting the refreshing water wash away all my troubles. I had plenty of time afterwards to carefully pick out my outfit and do my hair. By the time I would have normally woken up, I was already back on my stupid couch, eating some cheap, off-brand version of Froot Loops. They tasted like shit, but it was all I could afford with what I made.

When I finished those up, I carefully and quietly peeked into my mom and dad's room. They were sleeping like rocks, too lazy, and too careless to ever make sure I made it to school safely. I sighed again, and stepped outside into the cool air, clutching my backpack as I left. The school bus wouldn't be there for at least another 45 minutes, but I decided to stay out anyway. It really was a beautiful day. The clouds seemed exceptionally fluffy, and the sun was barely peering out from behind them. It created the beautiful effect of "heavenly" rays shining down to the earth. The grass and the trees were extraordinarily green, and the sky unbelievably blue. I smiled softly to myself. Nature was incredibly gorgeous today, as if reassuring me that something wonderful was soon to happen.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, a harsh voice muttered from behind me, "And what are you smiling so stupidly for?" There goes my headache again. Annoyed, I closed my eyes, rubbing my temples. Whoever just said that really ruined my mood, reminding me that it was still a stupid Tuesday, no matter how amazing the beautiful scenery around was. I wheeled myself around on the back of my heel, unwillingly turning my attention from the peacefulness, to look him in the eyes. "Beautiful day today," I said as if it were an insult. Eyeing him up and down, I murmured, "Not like you'd care or anything..." He was silent behind me, and I turned back to gaze at the lifeless street before me.

There was shuffling, and soon, I could feel his presence beside me. He turned to me, and asked in an almost apologetic tone, "So... what's your name?" I almost snorted at his sad attempt to make my day any better. "Joe. Joe Hart." I turned the slightest bit, so I could see his face. He nodded slowly, then flashing me the oddest grin, he said, "I'm Nick. Nick Jonas," mocking the way I had introduced myself. He sat there staring at me like he was expecting me to say something. I gave him a funny look, and smirked. "Why are you smiling at me like that? It's a little creepy." His strange little smile morphed into a frown of disbelief. "You don't know me?" he asked, shocked. Of course I knew who he was; he had only been the source of my extremely painful ear throbs all yesterday. Still, it was fun to mess with him. I shot him another weird glance, and asked with fake confusion, "Uhh... should I know you? Aren't you the new kid?" His jaw was hanging open slightly still, and he said, "Nick JONAS? As in, 'JONAS!' Famous singer, songwriter, actor? You really don't know me?" Laughing softly to myself, I smiled, still playing dumb. "Hmm... Ohh! You're that guy that all the girls are crazy for. I guess THIS is what you look like... I have no idea what they see in you. I mean come _on_." I turned around again, snickering. With a big ego like his, I doubted it really put a dent in his feelings. Still, he stared at me in awe.

Suddenly, the bus rolled around the corner, and was about to come to our stop. He shook his head, and said harshly, "Yeah, well at least I'm a step up from you. What's a poor, dirty little fag loser like you got on me? I mean, come _on_." I dropped my jaw, and as the bus pulled to a stop, he said to me, "And you better find a way to keep that shut," He pushed passed me, and while getting on the bus, he murmured back to me. "because it looks like you're ready to blow the next guy who's willing." I snapped my jaw shut, but my eyes were still bugging out.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	5. Talk is cheap

(Joe's P.O.V)

Peeved, I finally hopped on the bus that might have left without me if I had waited a second longer. I had waited too long for it to arrive, just to be blown off by a honking bus driver. I sighed and as I made my way over to my usual seat next to Demi, I locked eyes with a surrounded Nick, who smiled, and fluttered his fingers as he waved at me. The whole bus was crowded towards him, desperately trying to make their impressions on him. Girls batted their eyelashes that were over-coated with mascara, and seemed to hike up their skirts slightly higher, wanting to show Nick their worlds. Guys crowded around him too, hoping to gain popularity by kissing his ass. I shrugged it off until I noticed that Demi was one of the many girls crowding around Nick. I stopped dead in my tracks, and my jaw fell loose again. At least she had the sensibility to dress with normal attire. But as if Nick was paying any attention to her. Why would he, when there were plenty of sluts in the sea? Demi was so not his type. I tried to grab her hand, and pull her away from the madness, but she didn't even give me a second glance. I sighed, and sat alone near the back of the bus until we finally showed up at school.

We finally pulled to a complete stop, and I was beginning to get impatient as no one got off the bus. Everyone was eagerly insisting that Nick should be the first to get off. After at least 5 minutes of kind arguing, I angrily pushed my way through the crowd, and jumped off the bus. I could feel curious eyes tracing my back, but I continued towards the school. This might just be the longest year of my life.

(At lunch…)

I pulled Demi and Selena away from a growing crowd of Nick Jonas fans, not allowing them to hover over him, just like everyone else. He may be a jerk, but the guy needed some space. He was human after all. Then again, his ego was so big that that probably wouldn't matter. Still, I didn't want them falling all over him, knowing that it would only end in heartbreak. Sometimes I wish I had someone real to talk to… someone who didn't just talk about cute guys and lip gloss all day. Nevertheless, I loved them, and I wanted them to be different from all the other girls who threw themselves at Nick. As I finished chewing a big bite of, I said, using my fork to point at them, "You guys should probably stay away from this Jonas guy… I think he could be trouble." They both raised an eyebrow at me, and I said quickly, "I mean, look at the growing stampede over there! One could get seriously injured," I teased, giving a nervous little chuckle. Selena and Demi shared some kind of knowing look, and they smirked at me. "That's not what you really think. How are you still sold on Nick being such a big jerk? All the magazines like, ever, say that he's sweet, and caring… and not to mention HOT!" They both giggled, really tipping my iceberg. If they had only been with me while we were waiting at the bus stop. "Well, talk is cheap," I said, trying my best to keep my cool. "There's no sense in falling head over heels for someone that you don't know. I just think that he's superficial. And the last thing I want is for one of my two best friends to get hurt." I forced a smile on my lips, and hugged them almost halfheartedly. It was obvious that they were not soaking up a single word that flew out of my mouth.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	6. The Spanish Wizard

Okay, I want to make something clear right now. They go to a school where there are 7 classes in one day. And lunch, depending on what grade you're in, is either just before fourth period, or just before fifth. The first lunch (A lunch) is for freshman and sophomores, and they eat while the juniors and seniors have class. And, vice versa. Get it? Kay, good. :) Oh yeah, and Joe and Nick are seniors, and Demi and Sel are juniors, and they have no classes together, being in different grades.

* * *

(Joseeepphhh's P.O.V)

So, it turns out my last three classes of the day are with Nick the prick. Ha, for making that up on the spot, I'd say that was pretty ingenious. Maybe not. The point was that it got on my very last nerve how every single person in the class was going gaga over him. Even the teachers were treating him like a god. We were in 7th period Spanish now, and I honestly didn't hear a single word of Spanish. Luckily this was my easiest class, since my Spanish was already pretty fluent. I gave Ms. Gonzalez an angry glare when she sat Nick in the middle of the room, right next to me.

"So Nick Jonas. How do you say... 'Hello,' en español?" He smiled cockily, and said effortlessly, "Hola." The whole class ridiculously clapped their hands, giggling and cheering for him. I rolled my eyes and groaned. "When'd you learn that one, first grade?" I scoffed, muttering under my breath. He eyed me quickly, and returned to his posse of worshipers for a few moments. Thank the good Lord that this was the last class of the day. I wasn't sure how much longer I could tolerate this insanity. The bell would ring soon, and Ms. Gonzalez seemed to realize this too, so she picked up her piece of chalk and wrote down our assignment for the night. "Bien clase, esta noche tus tarea para casa es la página de trescientos, a traves de veintiséis treinta y cuatro." She paused, just as the bell rang. "Que tenga un buen día! ¡Nos vemos en clase mañana!"

_(A/n: She said, "Well class, tonight your homework is page three hundred, twenty-six through thirty-four." ... "Have a nice day! See you in class tomorrow!")_

The moment she dismissed us, I rushed out of the room, hopefully to avoid the crowd of people that I had learned would wait outside of Nick's classes. My locker was thankfully right next to one of the school's side exists, so as soon as I got all my needed materials, I was out. Just as I slammed my locker door shut, I heard a roar of screaming girls. The only word that came out of their mouth was one name. And I bet you all my money that you could guess what it was. Nick came speeding towards me, yelling behind him, "Give me 2 minutes by myself! I promise I'll hang out with you guys tomorrow!" Somehow, that seemed to satisfy them, and they reluctantly dispersed. I ducked my head, and tried to sneak out of the school, but he grabbed my wrist, pulling me back. Damn.

"Wait, Joe." he said softly, the halls soon clearing. I tried to wriggle free from his grasp, only to find his grip tightening. "I'm surprised you even remember my name," I scoffed. "What the hell do you want? I have a bus to catch," I said, shooting him a disgusted look. He almost cocked his head to the side, but shook it off. "Look, I need you to tutor me in Spanish..." I tried hard to keep myself from snorting. "You? The Spanish _wizard_? Really, now? _You,_ of all people, need help in Spanish? I would've never guessed!" I said, half-sarcastically. He rolled his eyes. "Yes. I couldn't understand a word she was saying. Please? Just come to my house once. Just today. I really need your help." He released my arm hesitantly, and I immediately crossed my arms. "Why should I? I mean, why me? There are plenty of other people in this damn school that would be completely overwhelmed to teach you Spanish." He nodded a few times, and then said, "But you are obviously the best in that class..." I sighed. "I've got better things to do..." This was one of those one times that I wished I actually took some other day off of work, besides Tuesday. "Please?" he begged. I didn't want to hear that stupid voice whine again. My ears were starting to get really irritated. They might just start bleeding.

His face lit up when he saw that I was about to give in. "Fine. If I have to. You're lucky that I'm free. But I don't know how we're getting there. I ride the bus, and... it looks like it left a few minutes ago..." He smiled wryly. "Don't worry. I've got it covered. My mom should have dropped my car off here a few hours ago..." I rolled my eyes once again. Damn rich, famous snob.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	7. Strawberries on a Tuesday

(Joe's P.O.V)

We finally arrived at his house, after riding for a long while in a car that I was trying so hard not to be impressed with. "Umm, you can go run and tell your parents where you'll be, if you wanna…" he said. "Trust me," I muttered. "They won't care…" I shrugged my shoulders, and said through teeth that I had kept clenched for so long, that they were practically glued, "Besides, I don't plan on staying here too long…" The curves of his lips turned downwards slightly, making me question him. "Whatever," he said, "Do you want something to drink or something?" I shook my head slightly. I was not about to get comfortable here, as nice as the house was. I hardly even recognized the battered up house that Demi, Sel, and I all used to camp out in back in like, second grade. "Well, my room's this way," he said, heading up the stairs. I trailed behind him, ready to get this over with.

He plunged onto his bed, lying on his back with his Spanish book balanced on his thighs. I settled onto the floor, against the wall, all the way across the room, which made him look at me strangely. Again. Well, I could tutor him perfectly fine from all the way over here. A few minutes after telling him the assignment, I asked, "So what is it that you need help with?" We were only reviewing this week, and it was on simple things, like clothing items. The assignment was easy, too. It gave you a question in Spanish, and all you had to do was translate it in English, then answer in Spanish. He stared at the page, and said, "First of all… what does suéter mean?" _(A/n: If you didn't already guess, it means sweater.)_ It's practically pronounced almost exactly the same, for crying out loud, and he said it perfectly. I squeezed the bridge of my nose, and mumbled, "It means refrigerator, duh. I mean, what else could it _possibly _be?" He looked at me questionably. "SWEATER! It means sweater!" I said, getting irritated. He held his hands up defensively. "Okay, okay, Mr. Bossy Pants." I snorted, making fun of his stupid remark. "Really? Mr. Bossy Pants? How childish." He grinned down at me widely, searching my eyes intently, and I decided to turn back to Spanish. I didn't want my time here to be twisted into anything else, other than studying.

As we worked on each question individually, at snail pace, I was already beginning to yawn. It was only 8, but I had gotten close to no sleep last night. I honestly wasn't sure how long I could keep my eyelids open. "Hey, Joe?" Nick said softly, his voice almost a whisper. I was close to dozing off when I answered, "Mhmm?" I closed my eyes, and just listened to his voice. "I need your help... I don't get this one… here, let me just…" I fluttered my eyes open slightly to find him suddenly by my side, setting the book in front of me. We kind of had to lean towards each other to read the question, which I really didn't over-think too much. I read the question slowly, but got a little distracted. I inhaled deeply, recognizing the smell of strawberries. Mmm, strawberries. It was Nick. Actually, it was Nick's hair. It was like one, big, puffy, strawberry-scented cloud. My words trailed off as I gently rested my head on his plush head of hairs, enjoying the feel of his soft curls brushing my cheeks. "Umm, Joe?" he said softly. I was barely paying attention at this point, and I replied groggily, "Mmm?" He carefully lifted my head off of his, and as he searched my drooping eyes, he leaned in. I was in some other kind of world, oblivious to what was about to happen. He pressed his lips softly to mine, lightly cupping my cheeks. It felt nice, so I released my thoughts completely, and let my lips take over momentarily. That's when then time and place registered, and I was soon aware of what was occurring. I mumbled something, but Nick continued to pull at my bottom lip. I pulled away swiftly. I was damn awake now. "_No_." I said roughly, my brows furrowing. No, no, no. Not him. I was a little disoriented, and I slowly stumbled out of his room. He rushed after me, grabbing my elbow. "Oh, no you don't," he said, crushing his lips fiercely against mine. He frantically flailed his arms around me, rubbing my sides, and my back, and my stomach. Everywhere our skin brushed was like fire. He burned all around me. Wow. He put so much passion into the kiss, and I just stood dazed for a frozen moment in time. But I couldn't do this. Every part of me screamed to pull away. All, except for my heart. I pulled away roughly. "No!" I said again, trying to get the point across. I searched his eyes, finding a slight drop of remorse. I don't care how amazing of a kiss that was. He wasn't going to change, and neither was I. I would not fall for him. Players led to heartbreak. Especially rich and famous ones. With that, I ripped my gaze away from his, and peeled his hands off of me, storming out of his house. Didn't I say that Tuesdays were the worst days?

* * *

:O :D Comments?

With Love, Carlie :D


	8. Thinking of You

(Joe's P.O.V)

There was never much to do at my house. I mean, when your parents don't let you watch their precious TV, and don't allow you eat their delicious junk food stocked in their personal kitchen, and forbid you to even give a second glance at their sweet, well paid for cars, and all you have to your name is a few bucks, a 6-year-old iPod, and a ratty old couch that stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the well-furnished palace of a home, what's the point in hanging around bored, staring at the ceiling? So instead, I decided to take a jog, hopefully clearing my mind. The sun was just past setting, and the night sky was just beginning to peek out. I looked up to find a dark, royal blue washing all over me. I reached the end of my street, where our community park was.

_(A/n: I used to live in Arizona, and where this story is set is based on my neighborhood. Here's a picture of a house that looks like what they to live in, so this gives you an idea of their community... . )_

I was thankful that no little kids were playing nearby. They shouldn't anyway, who knows what kind of creeps lurked the streets at this hour? But I honestly didn't care. If someone wanted to come attack me, let them. I sighed as I slumped onto the tire swing, staring at my feet. I won't deny it... that was hands down the best kiss I've ever experienced in my life. Well, I'd only been kissed once before, but still. I can still feel his soft, pouted, lingering lips pressed against mine, and the feeling that all of the rest of the world had faded. But it didn't matter that he was able to make me feel that way. I had to stay away from him. The longer I let him into my heart to let him build me up, the harder I would fall when he wasn't there to catch me. I looked up at the very darkened sky around. I must have stayed out pretty late… I decided to shuffle on home, and actually get some sleep tonight.

I tossed and turned, but no sleep came. My mind kept tracing back to Nick's lips. They were so plump, and they moved in perfect rhythm. They were just perfect in general. Then my mind would appear to come to its senses, and scream to me how bad Nick was for me, and that thinking of his luscious lips was the last thing I should be doing. Overall, it was just contradicting, and confusing; my brain was worn past its limit. Eventually, when I was too tired to even think, I was finally able to close my eyes and let go of everything.

. . .

The next morning, I woke up groggily, after another nearly restless night. I had that stupid dream again last night, and this time I awoke to a tear-stained face. I begged for the haunting dream to go away. Obviously I wanted to know who the mysterious shadow of a person was, but I was starting to believe that I'd never figure it out. It would torture me for forever and eternity.

I took as much time as I pleased preparing for the morning. I tried as hard as I could to push all the events of yesterday out of my head. I was finally finished getting ready, and just after I snatched my iPod and shoved it into my pocket, I reached for the polished knob on the door, letting out a huge breath. I twisted it, and headed out to the curb, where hopefully the bus would be waiting. A part of me fell to a puddle when I noted that Nick wasn't there, but the resistant part of me wanted to scream, "Good. Better not see that bastard's face again." I frowned slightly. I didn't have voices arguing my head, but I was pretty damn close. It was probably best to just forget everything that happened yesterday…

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	9. At the touch of a button

(Joe's P.O.V)

When the bus finally arrived, I hopped on to find everyone staring intently at me. For a brief second, their eyes were practically bulging out of their head, and they were all sitting at the edge of their seats. They took in my image, and then almost simultaneously there was an "Awww," coming from everyone. What the hell? I plopped down next to Demi in my usual seat, and turned immediately, asking, "What was that all about?" As the bus started, she shrugged her shoulders. "They thought that you were going to be Nick…" I cocked an eyebrow, and she continued on, now a little smirk playing on her lips. "Speaking of Nick, where is he?" A few other people must have heard her, because now quite a good percentage of the bus was staring at me, anticipating the latest check-up on Nick. I stared at them in disbelief. How could these people be so obsessed with someone? Especially this jerk. I mean, he was one guy, damn. "Umm… his car was gone when I stepped outside… so he probably drove to school." There was a unanimous roar of sighs, including one from Demi. I rolled my eyes, and asked her, "Honestly. I'd like to know. What do y'all see in him? Yeah, he's a rock star, and he's a little easy on the eyes, and he has a decent singing voice, and he's pretty damn rich, but other than that… what does he have that plenty of other guys don't? What makes him so damn attractive?" She shook her head, as if blocking out my words. "You just don't understand…" was all she could say in reply. The hell I don't. The bus rolled to a stop finally then as I said, "Whatever." With that, we jumped off the bus to find Selena waiting for us, completing the beginning of my daily routine. I pulled out my iPod, and turned the volume nearly all the way up, blocking out everything around me. The world around faded, and I smiled at how at peace I felt. Everything was chill.

I had been at my locker, closing my eyes, just relaxing to my own beat, when suddenly, someone was rapidly shaking me. They ripped my headphones out of my ears. "JOE! JOSEPH!" I could feel the bizarre look on my face, as I stared at Selena. "WHAT THE HELL?" I was about to flip out on her if she didn't explain. "NICK JONAS!" she screamed in response. I wanted to growl at her. How long was this Nick Jonas shit going to last? I stared at her with a bewildered expression. She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at me. "He just passed us!" I gave a fake glare of excitement. "Oh my god! Are you serious?" My sarcasm faded as my eyes went from widened to normal. "Sel, I'm sorry, but if you haven't noticed, I don't give a shit." "But he waved! AND HE WINKED! At you!" Like that was supposed to mean something to me. "So what? You guys need to learn that he's no big deal. He's just a guy. He's not worth getting your panties in a bunch for, and all y'all's obsessions with him are really starting to piss me off." With that, I stormed off to fist period, probably leaving Selena a little too harshly.

. . .

The whole lunch period was silent. Well, not the whole cafeteria, just our little table. Demi and Selena quietly whispered to each other, but never said a word to me. I guess they were shunning me for not being a Nick Jonas fan? Wasn't that a little first grade? And the rest of my classes weren't much better either. The whole fucking school was completely smitten for Nick Jonas. Why not change the school's name in honor of him? Nick Jonas, Nick Jonas, Nick mother fucking Jonas. That's all that I heard. I watched in disgust as he would strut down the hallway, meeting the awestruck stares of each girl, constantly winking and smiling, making each girl melt into a puddle.

The weirdest part? The whole day, his eyes kept finding mine. Anytime I would look somewhere in his general direction in class, there he was, staring me down. What was his problem?

. . .

I was ready to bolt out of the school after 7th period, when I was stopped, once again. There he was, Nick Jonas, in the flesh, standing before me. Oh joy. I rolled my eyes, my voice sounding overly annoyed. "Again? What is it now?" No way in hell was I missing the bus again. He scratched the back of his neck, and when he looked up to gaze into my eyes, his locked into place, and they never averted. It was making me slightly uncomfortable. "I can't figure you out," he said at last. It sounded like he was only talking to himself. "You are the only one in this entire school that is not falling all over me, and it's frustrating." I raised my eyebrows. "I'm a guy. Why would I be all over you anyway?" He scoffed as soon as the words escaped my lips. "One, I'm bi, and I just happen to have an excellent gaydar. Two, you didn't seem to be too disgusted last night when…" "SHUT UP, THAT NEVER HAPPENED," I interrupted. He shook his head, and gave a slight smile. Then his eyebrows furrowed again. "But that's what I mean. Why are you so… anti-Nick Jonas?" I wanted to burst out laughing. Could his ego get any bigger? I sighed, becoming impatient. "Is there a point to this?" He shook his head from side to side, yet again, and suddenly he was smiling widely at me. He shot me a look that he obviously used a lot, I'm guessing to make all the girls fall at his feet. "I was wondering if you wanted to go out. Tomorrow night. Pick you up at 7?" He meant it as a question, but it came out as more of a statement. The grin on his face continued to grow, making him look even more foolish. It was obvious he expected me to overwhelm him with thousands of different versions of the word "yes." I crossed my arms, and scrutinized him carefully. I had to admit, he did have heart-throbbing eyes. They were the perfect color of brown… like a teddy bear. I'd never seen the color before in my life, and it really was outstanding. But that was just another part of his act. "No," I said simply.

I counted exactly 2 seconds before his wide smile flipped into a bleak frown. He seemed disoriented, making me wonder if he'd ever been rejected before. "What?" This was starting to get really annoying, "Surely you know what 'no' means. Y'know. Opposite of yes, negative, not gonna happen, I don't want to go out with you. No. Besides, I can't. I've got things to do tomorrow night… " His jaw hung loose a little, and I laughed aloud once. He'd honestly never been told no. Huh. "What about tonight?" he asked, now sounding desperate. What a loser. "How many times do I have to say it? No. I'll spell it out for you. I. Do. Not. Want. To. Go. Out. With. You." "Why?" he whined, sounding much like a little kid. This boy was really starting to aggravate me. Who was he kidding? This was pretty damn pathetic. I was already short-tempered and impatient, and he really just brought it out in me. I wondered how much time we had spent in this hallway. I could still see the bus outside, so hopefully not too long. How much was it going to take for him to understand? I didn't have time for this. There was work I had to get to. "Look, I'm not sure how things work in your world, but in reality, you don't always get what you want. Or is your head too big for you to realize that? I am BUSY tomorrow night. I am busy tonight. BUSY. Do you know what THAT word means? I'm always busy, because I actually have a job, because I can't get everything at the touch of a button, like you! You are self-absorbed, you don't know what it's like to be normal, and probably never will. You have everyone eating out of your hands, you have every cent in the world that you could ever need and more, your life is perfect. You don't need me, so stop acting like I'm so damn important." I didn't give him the opportunity to add anything else. I was done with the conversation, and I was done with him. Just before it left the school, I stepped onto the bus, leaving with the last word, and with Nick a speechless mess.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	10. With new eyes

[Who ever loved that loved not at first sight?]

(Joe's P.O.V) (7th period)

I felt his eyes graze over me, making me uncomfortable. What a creeper. I don't see why he doesn't just move on. The loud speakers sounded above, causing the teacher to pause mid-sentence. "Can we see Joseph Hart in the counseling office, please?" Mr. Garrison gave me an odd look, like I had somehow staged the announcement myself. "Go," he sighed. Thankful to get out of there, I didn't hesitate to do exactly what he said; go. Once out of the classroom, I shuffled down the hallways as slowly as possible, trying to buy as much time away from Nick as possible. I had requested a schedule change earlier today so that I wouldn't have to suffer through 3 classes with him anymore. Finally, I made my way into the councilor's office, and Ms. Reid motioned me to sit in the chair provided.

She started off, "So. Is there any physical or verbal bullying going on? Or rather, anything else I should know that's between you and Nick Jonas?"

"No…" I trailed, slightly confused. "I just… don't want to be around him, y'know? He's…"

She cocked an eyebrow. "He's… what? Listen, Joe, I'm sorry, but I cannot flip-flop all of your classes just because of some guy you don't like. It's just too much of a hassle. Do you realize all of the paperwork and rearranging that I'd have to do? A lot more than you think."

Ugh. I just can't get away from him! It's like we're bound together.

"Okay, we have other people waiting, so why don't you just hurry on down back to class?" she practically slammed the door at my heels. Feeling embarrassed, I rushed back to class, knowing the last bell would ring soon. My class was all the way upstairs, and as I jogged to class staring at my feet the whole time, I was shocked when I accidentally ran into someone. But the look on their face wasn't the least bit offended. It was easily read as pleasantly surprised. Nick freaking Jonas.

"Umm. Sorry. Didn't mean to do that. Gottagobye." I said the last part without pause. He didn't say anything; just kind of stood and stared at me. It wasn't a weird stare exactly… I'm not sure how to describe it. All I can say is that he caught my attention. I shook away his gaze, and spun around so I could sprint back to class. He grabbed my wrist, but just a split-second too late. I ripped myself from his grasp, and started to run.

"Wait!" he called. That was all it took for me to stop in my tracks completely. Feeling bad, I turned to him. I sighed. We've been running through this act for too long.

My voice was calm, but there was a defined tint of annoyance. "What, Nick? What do you have to say? Why do you always have to stop me urgently in the middle of the hallway? What is it?"

He paused, as if deeply considering the question. Why was he even in the hallways anyway? We still have like, 5 minutes left of class.

"I don't know," he stated simply. His grip on my wrist loosened slightly, before he dropped his hand completely. "I'm sorry. I should have just stopped after you said no. You keep telling me to go away. It's obvious you don't want to be around me. I mean, that's why you wanted to get the schedule change, right?" he paused, his gaze shifting. "I'll just go, I guess. I won't bug you anymore, alright?"

For the first time, I actually noticed how rugged his face looked. I glared at him, but now, instead of giving him daggers, I actually… saw him. His eyes were tired; his hair was messier than usual; almost like he hadn't actually planned it for once. There were small, yet defined stress marks on his forehead, and he had dark circles under his squinted eyes. Then, I settled my eyes on an odd bruise that la across the side of his neck. It was an ugly, dark shade of a mixed yellow and brown. It was also in the shape of a perfect square. Within a few seconds, he started to walk the opposite direction, without giving me a second glance. "Wait. Nick." I breathed. But it was too late, he had left. There were so many things I hadn't remembered about him, and before I got the chance to stop and ask him, he was gone. Just like that.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	11. Alone

(Joe's P.O.V)

I sucked in a large breath of air, and there was this newfound captivation that he held on me. There was a deep hollow that now rested in my chest, and it bothered me. This doesn't happen to people like me. I'm not the type to fall over someone. Especially… Nick. I soon found my feet shuffling involuntarily back to class. It wasn't until I sat in my cold seat in Spanish that I realized the only thing running through my thoughts was Nick. And he wasn't even sitting there next to me. Wait, why wasn't he sitting next to me? Guess he went to the bathroom or something.

I tuned into the teacher's lecture, which actually appeared to be ending. "And don't forget! Your homework is due first thing in class tomorrow!" After that, it took exactly 4 seconds for the bell to ring. I was the last to leave the room, shuffling out in a daze.

(No P.O.V? I still don't know how to word that…)

He didn't know why, but Joe felt alone. Well, honestly, he'd always felt alone. But right now, it was indescribable. He didn't want to be dramatic, because he isn't a dramatic person, but he felt empty. He tried to brush it off, but it wasn't something that he could let go.

Demi and Selena followed a few footsteps behind him, and noticed that he looked different. It was pretty obvious that he wasn't himself. Not that he was normally peppy and excited, but he just looked… not there. He shoved his headphones in, and he still looked blank. "Hey, Joe!" Demi said smiling, trying to be optimistic. "What's up?" He looked in her direction, but didn't really look at her. His eyes told a whole story, and it was nothing like she had seen before. Was it possible that his eyes were even more vivid than she had ever remembered? Okay, she'll admit. She's always had a little crush on Joe. Scratch that- a big crush. She couldn't help it. He was just… amazing, to say the least. Selena had a small suspicion that he was gay, but Demi found no proof of that. She insisted that just because he's not a dog, and doesn't try and hit on all the girls in this school doesn't mean he's attracted to men. He was just different.

But she could tell this was not Joe's regular. She looked over at Selena, and they shared the same, questionable look. Although Selena had never thought of Joe that way, that didn't mean that she didn't know him like the back of her hand. She probably knew him better than Demi, especially since she didn't see him the same as Demi. "I don't know," she said softly, answering the question Demi asked with her eyes. That was the thing about Sel and Demi. They knew each other better than themselves. Selena had even figured out that Demi liked Joe before she realized it herself.

They continued to observe Joe until they reached the bus stop, where Selena had to go to her car while Demi and Joe rode home.

"Umm… Joe? Are you okay?" Demi asked sincerely, pulling Joe's ear buds out carefully. Again, he stared blankly into her eyes, melting her into a puddle.

"Yeah, just great," he sighed, really not knowing why he was acting like this. It was fucking pathetic.

"Sorry," he murmured to Demi. "I guess I just don't feel right today… I didn't mean to make you feel worried or anything." He looked at her with sad eyes again, which he hated. But he had no idea how to act like he was happy, when he felt so shitty. Did he really just ruin his chances with Nick? Had he ever even wanted a chance with him? Hadn't Nick given him a million chances in the first place? Joe's head was swirling, and he hated every bit of it. He didn't want to feel so weak and useless.

Demi tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and blushed a bit, liking that he cared about her. But she knew that they were best friends, and he was supposed to care about her. She tried her best to not think about Joe that way, it just sometimes slipped out. "It's okay. Everyone has off-days."

Suddenly, the bus stopped at Joe's house, and when Joe hugged Demi goodbye, and promised to see her tomorrow, she ignored the fact that her heart was throbbing. Joe ignored the fact that if he let go of Demi, that meant he had to go to work soon. He tried to hold on to her, but it was inevitable. "Bye," they both sighed.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	12. Nick Nathaniel

(Joseph Adam Hart's Point of View)

I was actually kind of looking forward to school on Monday for the most shocking reason. How had I reached a point when I actually wanted to see Nick? But lately, he seemed to be the only thing I could think about. If I could have helped it, believe me, I would have. Over the weekend, I tried focusing on homework, but then I finished it. I tried cleaning my "living area" but there was really nothing to clean. I tried to read, but I couldn't focus on the words. I would read aimlessly, and think about Nick. 2 words. How, and pathetic. I had kind of planned to tell him that I was being stupid, and that I might consider giving us a shot. You know, being as subtle as possible.

I'm not even sure if that's what I wanted. I'm not in love with him. I don't think he's the greatest thing in the world. I just want to get to know him. That doesn't mean I don't think that he's the jerk-ass heart-breaker. Maybe if he wasn't such a flirt I'd have an easier time accepting him, but he just makes this hard for me. He makes everything hard for me. Breathing, smiling, blinking, moving, feeling; you name it.

Either way, I just wanted to see his face. But, all day, I heard no screaming girls, and no crowds of people blocking the hallways. It was actually kind of peaceful; the usual chatter of random kids walking to class. In the last 3 classes, he wasn't there. Maybe he was sick or something.

But the thing was, he wasn't there for the rest of the week, either. Maybe it was for the better that he had left, but I wondered whether he was just taking a break from this school, or if it was because of… me. What if I was the one who caused him to stay home? What if when he said goodbye… he meant it?

I sighed to myself. It was all my fault. All day, the only speak of Nick was the quite murmurs of curiosity. Everyone wanted to know where he had gone to. (This is so boring. I hate this episode.)

(I skip a lot of time, I'm sorry)

I shuffled to my locker after school, and when I opened it, a little, neatly folded square of paper fell out onto the floor. I read my name on the very first fold, and then immediately unsealed all the creases.

It said: "I know you probably don't really care, but I just thought you should know that I'm moving again. I'd appreciate it if you not tell anyone… it's kind of embarrassing why. Wow, this is awkward. Like I said, you probably don't care at all. But, Harmony has just been too much for me. At first, I thought I couldn't handle the crazed fans, but honestly, I've had much worse. At least they don't rip off my clothes or stalk me everywhere I go. But some things have happened, and I just can't deal with it. I need to get away. It's definitely NOT your fault that I've left. Actually, you kind of helped me realize a few things about myself. Again, you probably couldn't care less. I honestly doubt your reading this, so it's probably pointless. But, one more thing… If you ever need me, and I mean EVER, here's my number. Even if you don't want it, it would mean so much to me if you just at the very least put it in your phone.

Thank you. For… lots.

-Nick Nathaniel Jonas

(Please don't tell anyone that's my middle name. They all think it's Jerry… Nathaniel is such a lame name.)"

I was a little teary eyed by the time I had finished reading. His very last comment made me giggle, but it was more of like a laugh of hysteria. So Nick Jonas really was leaving. I could make out a loud "thwack" deep in my chest, as my heart just cracked a little.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	13. Table 6

[Sometimes you just crack. It happens, and it's inevitable. But after how many fractures will it take until you're broken?]

(Joe's P.O.V)

I didn't even bother stopping to go home first. I just headed to Bob's Diner, straight from the bus stop. My shift didn't start for at least another hour, I knew, but it didn't hurt to get there early. The bell tied to the door rang as I opened and closed door. It continued to sound in my ears for a while, all the way until I went into the kitchen.

"Hey, Tom," I said, faking the cheer in my voice. He whipped around, obviously surprised to hear my voice at this time.

He took one look at me, and said, "What's up with you? You look all… down."

Sel and Dem might know me, but Tom actually understands me. There are so many secrets and mysteries that they have yet to know about me. With Tom, there is nothing I have hidden. I've never called him my friend, but now that I think about it, he's been everything a friend should be and more. He's like my big brother.

"I'm not sure… well. So, I told you about the new kid at my school, right? Nick?" I picked at the hem of my shirt while I spoke, trying to distract myself.

"Actually no. You've kept to yourself a lot this week…" he said casually.

"Oh, well, so… wow. I can't believe I didn't tell you this. Uh, you know Nick Jonas? Right. Yeah, the famous one. Well… he kind of moved to Harmony. And he goes to my high school now." I looked up to see his reaction, as if I had just told him something that would change his life.

I expected his eyes to bulge out, and his jaw to drop, and him to get completely distracted from the point of this, but if he was shocked at all, he made sure to keep it calm. The only difference in his face was the one raised eyebrow he held. "Yeah? Nick Jonas? How's that been going?"

I gulped. "Well. The whole entire school is all over him. Like, no kidding, walking through the hallways, you can hardly see his face because they're all surrounding him like a flock of pigeons or something. Sometimes I wonder if he can breathe. And then he's my next door neighbor, apparently, and he is such a jerk. Honestly, Tom. I've never met someone who was so conceded in my life. It's ridiculous. And all the girls scream his name. I swear, I'm the only sane one in the whole school."

His eyebrow somehow maintained the same position as he smirked only slightly and said, "So… you like him."

I think that was supposed to be a question, but he didn't make it sound like one. "What? God no! Pfft. Me? L-like, a prick like JONAS? Pfft. Jesus! No! That's disgusting."

He nodded slightly. "You like him. Definitely. A lot. But anyway, go on."

I crossed my arms, but let it slide for now. It was funny how he could say this with a completely straight face. He seemed to be enjoying himself, but at least he didn't let me see it.

"Well… okay. So… he seemed to notice that I'm not 'like everyone else,'" I put air quotes around that, and he motioned for me to continue. Watching all of his different expressions, I spoke with my hands a lot, and continued with my story, a lot more coming out of my mouth than I had meant.

"Well, um. We have the last 3 classes of the day together, and it annoys the crap out of me. But anyway, he stops me at my locker after school one day, and he asks if I can tutor him in Spanish, because, I mean, he is unbelievably terrible at Spanish. He had to really convince me to do it, and it was my one weekday off of work, so VERY reluctantly, I agreed. And, uh, I went to his house, and well, that night I hadn't gotten much sleep, and I kind of fell asleep on him… I know that sounds bad, but I was so tired! So, I had dozed off, in his hair, by the way, and again, keep in mind that I was totally drunk on insomnia, and some things turned into other things, and… he kissed me. Before I could realize what was happening, I kind of kissed back. But then I pushed him away, because, hello? It's Nick. I really hate him with a passion, and I didn't want this happening. I mean, he has gorgeous eyes, and a smile that totally melts my heart, but I know who he is, you know? He's a total heart-breaker. And I just… didn't want to deal with that.

"And then, later that week, he kind of… asked me out. And I was shocked, but I knew that he had taken interest in me. And I was pissed off at this point in the week. My two best friends are obsessed with him, and he's the center of every conversation in the entire fucking school, and he flirts with every damn girl he sees, and I had just had enough, so I told him off, and I thought I made it clear that I did NOT want to be with him. He looked really heart-broken, and I just left him like it was nothing…"

"And then there was this time last week… that day was so much different. So, I asked the counselor before school if I could change classes because of a conflict with our new student. So, during Spanish, she calls me to her office, and tells me that she can't do it, blah, blah, blah. Bitch wouldn't freaking let me get away from him! My head practically throbs his name, and it is so freaking annoying. He's all I ever hear about. Anyway, so I leave the office, and I literally run into Nick. Just my luck. And I tried to run back to class, but he stopped me. So, me with my temper and all, I kind of got on his case, and I was like, 'What do you want, Nick? What do you ever want? Seriously.' You know, something like that. And he gets these really sad eyes, right? And they're pouring into me, and suddenly, it was like… he was a different person. His voice was shaky and maybe a little bit raspy, and he said to me, 'I don't know…' and then like, 'I guess I'll just leave. Don't worry about me anymore.' And there was this moment, where I just stared at him. Him, his features, his bright, yet regretful eyes, his bouncy, frizzed hair, his lonely frown, the real him. He was just dripping of broken memories and dreams. And I felt all soft and melt-y, and before I knew it… I liked him more than I ever thought possible. I've been trying to push him away. But. I just. God, just talking about him gets me all wound up. And before I realized he had left, he was gone, and I felt like half of me had just ripped away. Like I was now empty. And the way he said goodbye was like he meant it forever. And it was just. Indescribable. Nick just does that. He's everything that I can't explain in actual English words. And I haven't seen him in a week, and he… he sent me this note. He said he's moving again. I… I really don't know if I can take that, Tom. I'm just… at a loss for words. The truth is… I need Nick."

I exhaled a large breath, as all my emotions bursted through my heart, and I felt a lot better, but also a hell of a lot worse. Tom looked me in the eyes, and grabbed my shoulder with one hand. Tom could always make everything seem casual, yet stern and meaningful all at once. There are times when I know that there is a lot that I have to learn from him. (A/N Just to make it perfectly crystal clear, Joe would never ever never think of Tom in the more than friends way, and Tom would never ever never think of Joe that way either. Plus, Tom is straight. He's just awesome, and non-homophobic like that. :D) It was like he knew that my head was spinning around, so he was steadying me, helping me get back to this earth.

"First of all," he stated simply. "I told you that you liked him." I let him smirk a little bit, and before I could protest, he continued. "So, do you really want to know what I think you should do?"

I felt my forehead crease as I looked up at him, slightly confused. "Tom, of course I want your advice. You always have the best advice."

He nodded, satisfied, and looked to my right a little bit, through the kitchen window. "I think that you should tell him you want to start off as friends. Then, maybe it can bloom into something more. Just maybe. But first… I think you should start your shift early and go wait on table 6."

My brows knit even closer together, but I nodded, thinking that there was probably some master plan to this or something. I grabbed my apron and my notepad and pen, and walked over to table 6, scribbling notes onto the page for later.

"Are you ready to order, or do you need another m-minute?" I looked up at the customer at the word minute, and I was taken aback.

His head was down on the table, cradled in his crossed arms. "I need another minute, thanks."

I pulled up a chair next to his booth, and rested on my hand. "Nick?" I whispered. Immediately after his name came out of my mouth, I started to chew my fingernails.

He was wearing a red baseball cap and a pair of sunglasses, which he now pulled off. Wow, what a disguise. He looked up at me with semi-sad, semi-hopeful eyes. Oh, god. His eyes were beautiful. I just got lost in them. "I… I should go. I guess. Just… just call me when you're ready to order."

He smiled without showing his teeth, and although it was very small, it was the cutest thing I had ever seen. He touched my hand, but drew it back immediately. Butterflies flew around in my stomach, and I smiled with him. "Umm. Please stay? I mean, I think I'm almost ready to order…" Lord Jesus Christ, he was adorable.

"Uh, alright." I said softer than I had meant to. I can't exactly talk around him. He makes me feel like spaghetti. (Haha.)

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	14. Stay here

(Joe's P.O.V)

There was a brief moment of silence, and I still had yet to decide whether it was awkward or not. I only saw his eyes in the room, and his smile, and his face. Nothing else. But whether it was a comfortable silence or not, all silence has to be broken at some point.

"So, um. I thought you were moving. I mean, you were gone all week. Why are you here?"

Any traces of his smile, even in his eyes, disappeared as his lips curled into a frown.

He couldn't look me in the eyes when he spoke, and he kept playing with his thumbs.

"Yeah, I kind of still am. I'm just sort of visiting the town one last time before I left. Haven't been here before… My parents really like it here, but… some things have happened, and I just don't think I can stay here anymore, y'know?"

"No, not really. What happened that made you want to move so badly?"

His lips pressed together as he studied my face.

"Um. Don't worry about that. You're not obligated to tell me anything. I understand." I said softly. "Are you sure you're not ready to order?"

Immediately, he protested. "Um, no. You should probably stick around. I'm pretty indecisive. I mean, I can't even choose between water or a diet coke."

His eyes were sincere, but I couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Well, then you're right. I better not go anywhere. You know. Make sure you're making the right decision."

I made sure he caught the double meaning in my words. He swallowed hard, and ran his hands through his hair, obviously not sure what to say next.

"Stay here," I said, with emphasis, and even a little plea, again hoping he'd follow my wordplay. My next words were kind of muttered. "I'll be right back."

I turned my back to him, and started towards the kitchen. Tom pretended to be drying off a plate with a smug smirk on his face.

I filled up 2 cups; one with water, and one with diet coke and muttered over to him, "Shut up, Thomas."

He held his hands up defensively, and chuckled, "I didn't say a single word."

He flashed a huge smile at me, and I shook my head, and then walked back to table 6. There were actually no other customers besides Nick. And my shift didn't start for at least another hour, so I decided it was alright to sit down with him.

"Here, I just got you both. Hope that's okay."

Nick nodded, and started sipping on the diet coke. I squeezed my right hand with my left, and sort of massaged my palm; something I had made a habit of doing when things were awkward.

"Umm, Nick? Can I ask you something?" I breathed, turning my gaze from the window to directly into his eyes.

I watched his brows form a curved, stressed line, and his eyes turn from a golden brown, to more of a dark, shady kind of chestnut brown. His voice was lined with questions as he breathed, "Yes. Anything."

Wow, that was hot. I mean, the light from outside was balanced on each side of his face perfectly, and his lips were pouted, and he looked so… yum. Okay, anyway. Focus, Joseph.

I swallowed down every bit of my pride; every thought I had since his arrival, and every feeling I may have had about him before. I tried forcing a smile, but decided it looked too superficial to ever be convincing.

"I guess… I guess it's more of… well. I'll just say it. Nick… I really want you to stay here. Wherever you were going to… I'm asking you not to move there. I know that you think that I think you're the most selfish, self-loving jerk in the world, but… I- I don't."

His expression turned to slightly annoyed, but with a hint of some other emotion I couldn't identify.

"So, that was all just an act. You were just pretending to hate me, and you knew that would catch my attention. It worked. You happy?"

My eyes grew wide, as my brows shot up in the air.

"What! No! Nick, no, no, no!"

His left eyebrow rose. With all his expressions it seemed like he could make his eyebrows dance across his forehead.

"So you do hate me. What are you getting at, Joe? Because I don't really think it's all that amusing."

He crossed his arms against his chest as an exasperated gasp fell out of my mouth.

"Maybe I'll just leave…" he sighed, scooting his legs out from under the table.

"No!" I pleaded. "Please, Nick. Just hear me out, God." My hand flew up to the back of his neck instinctively to stop him from leaving, and it worked, but oh God. My hand was on his neck. I pulled away awkwardly, wishing that I could touch him more…

He placed his hands under his chin, humoring me. "I'm listening."

"I-uh. I…" God damn, I was stuttering. "I used to think you were a jerk. I used to hate you. But… I uh. I… umm."

He leaned in closer, his sweet breath unintentionally falling on me. "You, uh, you, umm. You what, Joe?" he whispered, mocking me.

Hot damn, there was a sexy-ass Nick Jonas leaning into me.

"I like you!" I squeaked, my voice cracking slightly.

"You do?" he asked, smiling sexily. He leaned in ever closer.

Shit, there's the boner.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	15. I um, I have work, y'know

(Joseph's P.O.V)

"Y-y-yeah. Umm, Nick?"

He climbed onto my chair with me, and straddled my seat, right on top of my lap. Hesitation had no meaning to the boy. Sweet Jesus. This was not happening. This had to be a dream.

I could feel myself throbbing in my jeans, making me squirm around a little. Jesus, he looked so sexy with his big brown eyes pouring into mine. He was almost visibly dripping of lust. Hot. Damn.

His cheeky grin slowly developed into a crooked smirk as he enjoyed watching my reactions. Every fraction of an inch he moved, a completely different expression played on my face. He stretched impossibly closer to me, so that when he spoke, his words fell directly onto my lips. With every motion softly brushing against them, he whispered, "I like you too,"

If someone were looking from afar, it would unmistakably look as if we were well into a make out session. I feared, and yet prayed, that that was exactly what was about to happen.

I whimpered, still extremely excited down south.

He smiled widely, and a very soft, very perfect giggle escaped him. "A lot," he added, just before he began to tug lightly on my upper lip.

"Nick, I-" My eyes lolled to the back of my head as his hands reached up to the back of my head, knotting his fingers in my hair. All words were forgotten.

My hands instinctively raced down the sides of his body, smoothing out the muscles on his chest, until finally they rest securely at his hips, where I found they fit better than puzzle pieces.

When he pulled away to catch his breath, I lifted my hands off his hips. My erection was growing by the second, and I knew I had to do something about it soon.

He laid his hands across my chest, and just as he began to lean in to steal another kiss, I reluctantly pulled away, and pried him out of my arms. "I um. I have… work, y'know."

He tucked his bottom lip between his teeth as his hands were ripped away from my chest. He looked so distraught. My eyebrows creased with his as I lifted myself down carefully out from under his weight.

"Aww, Nick." Reluctantly, I leaned closer to him and traced my tongue along his upper lip, and very gently pulled out his lower lip. I pecked it lightly. "Don't bite that," I whispered, trailing off slightly.

He looked up at me with those big, honey-sweet eyes, and my heart melted once again. His cheeks lightly burned red. So adorable!

The only thing was; this again brought attention to the bulge in my pants. "Jesus," I muttered beneath my breath.

Picking up the pace, I slowly began to stagger away from the table, covering myself to my best ability. "But really. I have to go to work. I promise I'll come see you right afterwards." He nodded, and when I mistakenly dropped my hands for a moment, that's when he really understood. Acting fast, I hovered my hands over my crotch again, but that didn't stop his cheeks from turning a soft pink, and his lips to utter a silent, mocking chuckle as he laid eyes on my hard-on.

I shot him an embarrassed glance, and I swear my face has never been hotter as I tried to walk to the men's room calmly and smoothly. Epic fail.

As the door bell jingled again, I found myself sprinting towards the restroom door, diving to cover myself from any incoming customers. Just before it swung shut, I made out a faint, chuckling Tom.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	16. You'd have to be blind

(No one's P.O.V)

After taking care of "business" in the men's room, Joe realized that it really was about time to start his work shift. In the mirror, he rushed to try and fix his hair, which was already absolutely gorgeous, brushing away any stray stands. He flashed a charming smile once at the reflection, and then headed out of the restroom to fulfill his duties. Technically, yes, he was a busboy, but there were few employees at Bob's Diner, so on nights like these, when the dinner rush was seldom packed with customers, Tom, as the manager, let the kid work as a waiter. Tom watched as Joe emerged from the bathroom, grinning like a fool. He chuckles at young love, currently extremely amused by the topic.

Tom observes silently as Joe goes to "wait" on Nick again. But Tom doesn't realize that there are many girls surrounding Nick. Neither does Joe, until it's too late. Joe arrives at the table, and is hit by a small bullet to his chest. He sighs and clears his throat, catching the party's attention. "Umm. May I take your order?" he says. If it wasn't routine, he would not have smiled. Joe glances around the table briefly and lays his eyes on one slutty-looking girl shooting Nick an odd look, biting her lip, and everything. Jealousy washes over him, sending a sharp, twisting pain to his stomach. Nick is trying to smile up at Joe, almost curing his deep pain. But he barely finishes his order, and Joe barely writes it down before the girl jumps his bones. She starts making out with him, using full-force and lots of tongue, and rubs her hand against his crotch.

Gasps escape both Joe and Tom's mouths as they stand there in utter shock. Joe's notepad, and Tom's newly dried dish drop and clatter to the floor. Nick doesn't pull away, and Joe hopes it's because this hoe is strong. But no restraints were made, and the stabbing pain returned to Joe's chest, stronger than ever, as he stood there frozen, forced to watch. Finally, Joe's mobility returns as he's had enough. He picks up the damned notebook, and turns away in defeat as the disgusting sounds of them sucking face continues.

As Joe returns to the kitchen, he begins to take off his apron. He hangs it up on the rack, and hands Tom the orders. "Sorry, Tom. I'm clocking out for tonight. I don't… feel so well." Tom nods his head, compassion lining his expression. Once Joe leaves with his head hung low, Thomas decides to kick the girls out, and sits down to talk to Nick. "Listen, Mr. Big-Shot," he starts, feeling no sympathy for the dirty little pig. Joe was one of his best buddies. He was like a little brother. No one messed with Joe without hearing from Tom. "I don't think you should come around here much anymore. You really hurt my friend…" Nick's eyebrows creased as he opened his mouth to speak, but Tom interrupted him. "I don't care to hear your reasons, but if it wasn't obvious that the two of you had a major connection, then you'd have to be blind. You'd better have a rational reason for doing what you did back there. And if you don't, then you'd better have some hell of a way to win him back. Until then, I seriously suggest you get your ass out of here." Nick nods his head, absorbing the lecture, yet also fearing beat down. And so he leaves in the same manner that Joe had, hanging his head low, stuffing his hands deep in his pockets, and shuffling home, a frown pasted to his lips. He is aware of how bad that looked. He only wished that Joe would understand.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	17. The loser and the egomaniac

That night, Joe fell asleep on the cold wooded floor in his bedroom. Well, technically, you couldn't call it a bedroom, seeing as there was no bed in the room. In fact, without the spoken label, there was nothing in the room that relatively resembled that of any normal teenage boy's room, besides the closet that held less than the average amount of clothes. When you walked in the room, it was almost a depressing sight. The blinding white on white walls could make one of the fiercest of people become a hardcore claustrophobic. But Joe was used to harsh emptiness.

. . .

Nick entered the house then, half-slamming the door. He wasn't angry in the slightest, but he hadn't known how else to express whatever this newfound emotion was. "Nick, sweetie," a voice as sweet as honeysuckle called from the kitchen. "Are you alright? You've been gone for a while now." "Um, yeah. Peachy." She padded into the living room so she could face Nick directly. She threw her arms together, crossing them into a knot, while Nick recognized the expression printed across her face. "I don't really want to talk about it, Deborah," (No kidding, I'm at a complete loss for random names!) She unfolded her arms as her face softened. "Well, sweetie, are you done packing, at least?" Nick let out a long sigh, not because he was fed up with Deborah; he loved her more than words. No, he sighed, because it was a replacement for a scream. How was he going to fix this mess that he had created?

"I know this seems like I'm asking a lot of you, but um, can we not move? I mean, it's not like we've already sold the house, right? I know I've been acting so high-maintenance lately, but I promise if you just do me this one favor, I will stop asking you for anything. I'll do all the work around the house. I just... really want to stay. I'm sorry, Deborah. Really." A frown briefly appeared on her face, but quickly vanished into a genuine, relentless smile. "On one condition," she said to Nick, as he raised an eyebrow. "We won't move, for whatever your silly reasons are, if you stop calling me Deborah. It's okay to say it, honey. Legally, it's true." The whites of Nick's teeth flashed nearly from ear to ear. The hard part was finally over. Now all that was left was the hardest part. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love you, Deb- oh! I mean, Mom." The infectious smile reflected to her face as well. Once, she had thought she'd never get the chance to hear those words.

. . .

The first thing Nick noticed as he stepped outside was the soft raven waves of Joe's trimmed hair. Just the way he smelled alone made Nick a little weak. He approached him from behind, suddenly afraid of the future. He shoved his hands into his pockets, slowly settling next to him. What if Joe didn't forgive him? Ever?

"Um, hey, Joe." Joe's eyes shifted to his side, but otherwise he showed no acknowledgment that Nick was sitting next to him, close enough to almost feel the trace of his hips against his. "So, um, I was thinking that we could talk..." Nick trailed, scratching the corners of his face as awkwardness washed through his pores. Several moments had passed, and just when Nick was sure that he wasn't going to answer, he said softly, "About what?" Nick fumbled for an acceptable way to bring this up, but realized that there was none. "Um, last night. Look, I know what you saw. And, if you just give me a minute, I can explain everything, and it-" "What if I don't want to?" he interrupted, his mask of apathy beginning to crack. "Don't want to what?" "Don't want to give you a minute." Nick's face contorted into a look of desperation and confusion. "What do you mean? I can explain everything! Then everything can go back to-"

"Normal? And tell me, what is normal, exactly? Actually, don't. That's what I'm afraid of. I'm afraid you will be able to explain everything, and it's going to be something I really don't want to hear. It's probably better if we just let it go and move on. Nothing was ever going to happen anyway. I mean, come on. The loser and the ego-maniac celebrity? This isn't fantasy. This- you and me- it would never work in the real world." The bus was soon to approach, and I silently cursed to myself as Joe stood up. "You're not a loser, Joe, I-" I stopped when he chuckled softly; oddly. "Funny. Aren't I supposed to be the one defending that case? Yet the tables have turned." Then the mouth that opens the gate to the giant, screeching, yellow monster opened and swallowed him up without another word of goodbye.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	18. And that was it

(Umm, I totally lost track of what day it was in this story, but let's just say it's Friday.)

(Nick's P.O.V)

I stomped up those dreaded steps after him, and after carefully avoiding the bus driver's disturbing toothy-or lack thereof-grin, pushed past the people shouting my name. Despite the cheery invitations followed by disappointed frowns of defeat, I finally made my way to the back of the bus, in front of Joe. I had wanted to sit next to him, but that seat was occupied by one of his friends. Or at least I assume it's a friend. She was clinging to him like a favorite toy. Maybe he was her toy. The thought caused me to shudder. "Hey, Joe," I said, smiling, as if nothing had happened merely 12 seconds before. Yeah, I kind of counted the seconds. He was surprisingly excellent at pretending like I wasn't right there, breathing his same air. The only thing separating me from Joe was the back of this seat. Without the seat, this distance could be considered uncomfortably close. Or, for me, not comfortable enough. His friend elbowed him in the ribs gently, and whispered something into his ear, while I glared at her. She motioned to me with her eyes, and his jaw stiffened. He shot her a glare as if to say, 'Do I really have to? I'd rather eat glass.' Only then did he finally reply. "Nick," he acknowledged coldly. "Sorry he's so bitter. He's not normally like this. Well, on second thought, he kind of is. But anyway, I'm Joe's best friend, Demi. Nice to meet you." She extended her hand towards me, and flashed a friendly smile. Though my eyes stayed locked on him. Judging by the fact that the girl who claims to be his best friend is not throwing things at me, as I had suspected Joe to do, lead me to believe that Joe hadn't told her anything about me. The tangible part of me said that it was better that way, but that didn't explain why I felt wounded by this information. Did that mean that he didn't think about me so much that I was the only point of conversation? So Joe really didn't return my feelings. "Nick Jonas," I stated formally, making eye contact with her for less than a second. "Pleasure." "So, Nick," Joe spoke, bleakly staring past me. "Why didn't you take your car today?" That was code for 'Why did you have to take the bus today? I'd rather not talk to you.' "Um, it's actually at the repair shop today." And that really meant, 'I wanted to see you this morning.'

Before our less than casual, stiff exchanges could become anything close to conversation, the bus soon whined loudly, releasing exhaust, and the doors had pushed open. Joe had flashed past me with Demi before I had the chance to even attempt to grab his attention and stop him.

. . .

(As soon as I get this video posted, I'll also post a video for you guys listing Joe and Nick's schedules. Just so we can always be on the same page. :P)

Since the two classes I had with Joe before Spanish happened to be Music and Gym, and Joe refused to talk to me unless he was forced against his will, I had to wait until 7th period Spanish to pass a note to his desk. And even still, he probably wouldn't read that. But how else was I supposed to talk to him? If he never forgives me, I at least need him to understand.

It wasn't long after I had tossed the note over his shoulder that I got a reaction. And what a reaction it was. First, I could hear the unmistakable sound of paper tearing. I tried to peek over his shoulder to see his face, but he was intent on the space in front of him. I saw his hands crumple the torn pieces together, and then he raised his hand. "Mrs. Gonzalez, may I be excused?" "En español, Joe," the teacher warned. In that class, you were rarely allowed to speak in English. Joe sighed. "Um… ¿puedo ir al baño?" Mrs. Gonzalez nodded, and waved her hand towards the door, signaling for him to leave. Joe shifted in his seat slightly, and turned to face me. He scrutinized my face for only a moment, but it felt like the longest hour of my life. His lips parted, and I sharply inhaled in anticipation. "It's a damn shame I can't un-see what I just read." And that was it. No elaboration; no emotion. All he left behind was the crumpled ball of my note that he had flattened onto my desk.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	19. 911

(Still Nick's P.O.V)  
(A whole week has passed since the scene in the last episode. Plus 3 days. So, now it's now Tuesday. Sorry for the confusion.)

I had thought being ignored by Joe was bad. But this, this utter rejection, was crushing me. I never saw anything but the back of Joe's head. He refused to associate with me whatsoever. Even in the classes we had together, when I sat next to him, it even seemed like he was deliberately leaning away from me. Once, I tried to stop Joe in the hallway again, which had always seemed to work before, but he jerked his hand away, and bolted in the opposite direction. It had been so long since I last spoke to him, and I was running out of options. Today was Tuesday, and since I was running completely on impulse, I took my chance. Today, I knew was the day that Joe had off of work. All day, I was sure that I made no attempts to try and contact him at all. I even drove my car to school so he wouldn't have to see me on the bus. As soon as the last bell rang, I sped out to the hallways, through the swarms of kids, and out to the student parking lot in record timing. I was determined to get home before the bus. Once inside the comfort of my own home, I stood in our home office, where the biggest window in the house was, while I waited to see a big yellow bus. It would arrive right in front of my house, which was the end of the street. The only people that ever stepped off at this stop were Joe and me.

. . .

It wasn't until I twisted my doorknob that I realized that I was actually about to do this for real now. After all the times I had thought to myself, 'I'll do it in about 5 minutes,' this time, the door had actually closed behind me, not in front of me. I found myself walking the short distance to his doorstep, rather than pacing around in my own living room. I smiled when I saw that there was no peep hole on his door. That could be an advantage. I lifted my fist, and knocked on the door 4 times, in an attempt of confidence. I had worked this out a million times in my head. He would open the door, I would beg him to let me in, he would, and then we would talk about this rationally. But as I heard the fumbling of locks on the other side of the door, my heartbeat raced, and I realized how unrealistic that sounded. I figured I had about one second to either scramble away, or come up with a plan. 'No time to run. Gotta act fast. Be impulsive.' I thought, and then, my vulnerable heart jumped out of my skin as the door opened wide. My mind didn't speak to me as my chest, arms, and legs flung to the person here to greet me at the door. On impact, he came tumbling to the ground. After all, most people don't prepare to be tackled upon greeting a guest. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?" he screamed. I assumed his parents weren't home, then? I locked my knees securely around his waist, and gripped his wrists tightly, pinning him to the ground. He might have been able to pull away. If he knew karate.  
"If I had just shown up at your door and asked to come in politely, there's no way you would have let me inside." I said.  
"You're damn right I wouldn't have! I could call the police!"  
"But you won't," I smiled.  
Joe huffed out a breath, obviously feeling defeated, and his eyes lingered elsewhere. But it was kind of difficult to look at anything but the person who was sitting on your chest. This had been a good plan, after all.  
"Why are you avoiding me?" I asked, waiting for him to look back at me. Joe tried to cross his arms, but as it turned out, that was another privilege lost with someone sitting on you. He huffed.  
"I'm not avoiding you," he muttered finally.  
"Bull shit," I laughed, rolling my eyes. "That has to be the biggest lie I've ever heard."  
"Let me go," Joe whined.  
"Not until you tell me what's up."  
"Fine! I'll tell you. That was the worst POSSIBLE thing you could have said to me! 'Oh, she kissed me first!' 'I had to keep kissing her, or she would have never gotten off my back.' 'She was strong, and I couldn't pull away,'" he mocked. "I was expecting some big apology, or some conspiracy, or something. You made it seem like you could solve everything, you know? But that was a lie. You said you could explain what happened at the diner. I'll tell what you explained to me. Oh, it's all clear now. It explained how much you really care. And that I should have known better than to fall for you. I can't change you. You're just a worthless player."

"Joe," I crooned, lifting a hand to cup his cheek. The second I released Joe's wrist, his hand flew up to smack me across the face. Ow! He rolled out from under me while I was stunned, cheek screaming at me. Man, did he have and arm! My face is freaking burning!  
"Now, please. Get out of my house," he growled.  
"No!" Stubbornness played a dominant role in my gene pool.  
"Joe, I know that what I did was..."  
"I don't want to hear it, Nick! You're just going to tell me more lies. Get out, or I swear to God, I'm picking up the phone and calling 9-1-1."  
Joe started to make his way towards the kitchen, where the home phone was.  
"Joe, stop! Okay, I know. I made a huge mistake. I was a dumbass. I am a total dumbass. I made a douche bag move, and-" Joe picked up the phone, so I started to talk faster. "I shouldn't have done it! I know I hurt you," He pushed Nine. "That girl was stupid anyway. Okay, forget that. That was lame. Just forget the girl. AGH! Listen, I know I was such a horrible person, but I-" One. "I regret that so much, and I really just need you to forgive me, because-" One. My heart beat was beating as fast as a humming bird's, and my mouth was flinging words at 100 miles per hour. "The whole point of me being here is to tell you that I hate not being around you! I've-" Send. With every button he pressed with just one finger, my words came out faster. Maybe I'd started to become incomprehensible. "Never felt this way about anyone before, and I need to tell you that I'm falling in love with you!"

I inhaled a huge breath, filling my lungs to their full extent. I'd never spoken so fast in my entire life. Joe's eyes widened as the person on the other end clearly stated, "9-1-1, what is your emergency?" "Um. Never mind, it's fine now." Joe said simply, and clicked the off button. "You're what?" he breathed, sort of, very exasperated. But he didn't say it like he was delighted, like I was sure he would have, had I told him a week before. There were other words hidden behind his tone. He'd said it as if it was one more thing that he'd have to cope with.  
"I'm falling in love with you." I stated with more confidence. Now that the words had escaped my lips a second time, I was sure of it. "But we can't... I mean, you can't... I don't want to be with you, Nick," he sighed. The words stung, even though I already knew them to be true.  
"Then can we at least be friends?" I tried a smile, covering the plea behind my eyes. It was so fake that it might as well have been plastic.  
Joe ran his fingers in his hair, and looked over to me.  
"No, Nick. God, I don't... I don't know. Maybe we should just not associate... I don't think I can be, um, friends..." Joe scratched his face awkwardly, and finally looked up at me with eyes that seemed so vulnerable. Kind of like puppy. I smiled softly, practically genuinely, before pouting slightly. This was the only way I would have the smallest portion of a chance. "Pwease? I sowwy, Joey. I'll be your bestest friend in the whole wide world."  
Joe almost burst out laughing. He snorted a little, and the corners of a smile appeared on his face. He pursed his lips together, and I watched as the resentment literally dissolved like cotton candy.  
"Only if you promise never to break down the door and tackle me like that again." Soon, my face reflected his, and I could feel the light behind my eyes as I brightened up. I was sure my heart might have burst.  
"Only if you promise never to call the cops on me again." Joe laughed, and nodded his head.  
"It's a deal."  
"Yay!" I smiled involuntarily, running over to Joe to throw my arms around him. My hands automatically rested at his hips, and Joe didn't seem to hesitate to rest his hands behind my neck. Like magnets. We just... fit together. I pulled Joe closer, and squeezed him tightly. Not that he minded.  
I pulled away, and gazed into his eyes, to find him mirroring me. Then Joe's gaze faltered, and I frowned when I realized what was wrong.  
"Right," I said, pulling away completely, and stepping back. "Friends."  
I extended my hand to Joe, and we awkwardly shook. "Friends," he sighed, silently agreeing to the mess we had just made. But even just the feeling of Joe's skin against my hand brought this odd tingling sensation that I could never explain. It wasn't the feeling you get when someone shocks you. It wasn't butterflies in your stomach when you get nervous. Every time I touch Joe's soft, silky skin, it's like we're making a connection. To put it into the simplest words, when I said I was falling in love with him, it wasn't just to get him to hang up the call.

* * *

With Love, Carlie :D


	20. What not to do

It's time for an episode of I'll Be. :) I hope I can get a steady rhythm of my three stories going, because I would love to write them all at once. They each have great plots.

Go read the last, like 10 episodes. :P I had to. I totally forgot what was going on.

* * *

(Nick's P.O.V)

The next morning, I woke up feeling a sharp pain in my back. I tried to think back to what could have caused the pain, and couldn't come up with anything. When I finally picked myself up out of bed, I finally realized that I wasn't in my bed at all. I had to have fallen to the floor while I was sleeping. I groaned, and stood up straight, all the blood rushing through my body as the color drained from my eyes. I waited around for a moment until I could see again, and then groggily continued with my day. With a piece of toast in my mouth, I had my hand on the doorknob and was called out a goodbye to Mom when I spotted him. Joe was sitting on the curb waiting for the bus to arrive with his headphones in. By the way I could already feel my knees buckling and my heart throbbing, instantly I knew I couldn't go out there. At least not with this promise of friendship we had going on. If I couldn't control my feelings while simply watching him through my window, who knows what would happen if I actually were to go outside and talked to him? So I waited at the door until the bus came to pick him up, like the desperate coward I was, and then finally left the house in my car.

. . .

The hardest part was not thinking about him. Not whipping my head to look at someone else who the teacher had just called Joe. Not comparing the way anyone else said my name, to the way it sounded coming from his lips. Not wishing that when someone tapped me, I would turn around to him.

Because if I let those thoughts cloud my mind, then I would be reminded that even if the teacher had called a Joe and it was him sitting there, and if it had been him calling my name, and if it had been him when I turned around, it meant nothing I would hope, because of this stupid label we had. "Just friends."

And even with all the trying so hard not to think, my mind ran crazy as he rounded the corner, and headed straight towards me. "Nick? Hey! I've been looking for you. Aren't you going to sit with us?" He pointed behind him to the lunch tables, where Joe's friend Demi and another girl were sitting. I couldn't think of anything I'd rather not do than spend time with Joe, trying not to stare at him, but his eyes were so goddamn irresistible, and right now, they lured me into eating lunch with him.

. . .

(Selena's P.O.V)

"I don't know, Dem…"

"Are you serious? Just look at the way that Nick puts deliberate space between them when he walks. There's no way."

"That doesn't always mean that he's not…"  
"Selena, he's staring right at you. He's totally interested in you!"

I could feel the color rush to my cheeks, so I averted my gaze elsewhere to hide it.

Clearing my throat, I said, "I still think that there's something going on between them or something. I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong. Either way my gaydar is going off."

"Well then Nick likes him. But there's no way Joe's gay… he… he can't be. I just know."

I was about to protest some more, and point out that Joe seemed to be acting stranger than Nick, when they approached us then with food trays in their arms, and sat down at the round table.

"Um, alright, so Nick, you know Demi," Joe started as Demi and Nick shared a shy wave.

"And uh, Nick, this is Selena. Selena, Nick."

I held out my hand to him, and he took it in his. "Hello," he said, and then brought it to his lips, leaving a soft kiss on my knuckles. "Um, I…" I stuttered as Joe choked on his milk, and Demi snorted lightly.

As I recovered from my burning red cheeks, and Joe settled his coughing, Demi, being the only one left who could easily talk besides Nick, offered conversation. "So, Nick. Are people here treating you right?" she smiled at him, surely enjoying his company already. She took to anyone who could create such an awkward moment so easily.

He quickly glanced at Joe, who raised an eyebrow, and said, "Yeah, mostly," which definitely raised some suspicion in my brain.

"Well, that's good," she said. "Hey, Nick. Can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah sure," he smiled, looking eager just to be doing something.

"Are you gay?" she asked, and this time it was my turn to laugh as Joe choked on his milk again, this time spitting it out. He picked up a now slightly soggy sandwich and slapped it back down on the tray.

Nick just blinked at her, jaw slightly ajar.

"Um, Demi, I need to talk to you. Now. Come on."

"But, I…"

"Well, I need to talk to you _now_." He said dragging her hand, leaving Nick and I at the table. Suddenly my laugh faded as I realized the situation. It was Nick and I. Alone. At the same table. Gulp.

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Reviews would be great. :)

With Love, Carlie :D


	21. Some lucky Joey

(Selena's P.O.V)

As soon as Joe left the table, I noticed, Nick suddenly looked curiously relieved, like someone who had finally let out a breath they'd been holding. He looked down at his untouched tray of food and grimaced slightly. "This doesn't look as good as I thought it did a few minutes ago," he chuckled. To me, it seemed a little too light, like he had to remind himself to be less tense.

We didn't say much afterwards, until I realized that with both Joe and Demi gone, this was as good a time as any to directly confirm my suspicions. "Well, are you?" I said. In the silence we had created, my words almost seemed abrupt.

I noticed the color in his cheeks drain as he snapped out of his trance, and looked at me. He swallowed, and then said, "Am I what?"

"Well, gay."

He didn't say anything for a while, which automatically gave me a hint to what his reply would be. He curled his lips in, and then just as he opened his mouth to speak, a trio of girls came to our table and started to indulge themselves in Nick Jonas. He dealt with them well, to my surprise, but I supposed he was used to taking on crowds of people, and three teenage girls were like a piece of cake to him. Even still, I sat there just waiting for them to go away so that he could answer my question. I hated distractions.

(Demi's P.O.V)

At first, Joe had dragged me into the library, where we had gotten as far as saying each other's name in annoyed tones before the librarians became irritated with our noise and kicked out. Now, we found ourselves both to in the boys' bathroom. I won't admit that I've fantasized about this, because, pssh, that would be creepy, but I will say that the fact that Joe and I alone in the bathroom was not to my dismay. At all.

And the boys' bathroom was pretty much the same as the girls', only there urinals on the wall. Otherwise, it was just as small, and just as unsanitary.

Joe glared at me with purposely over-intense eyes so that I would give in and break the silence. It worked. "What? Why are you staring at me like that? Gosh."

"You know why, Demi."

"No, I don't. Would you just tell me what it is you needed to talk to me about?" I said with a curiosity made up of half irritation, and half delight.

"Nick is new here, alright. He's my friend, and I don't need you interrogating him like that, alright? I'm sure he just wants to be treated normally."

Really, Joe? That's what you wanted to talk to me about. I sighed inwardly.

"Oh my gawd, Joe. Relax. It was just a question. Besides, I ask that question to practically everyone I meet. See? Joe, are you gay?"

His expression instantly morphed from one of annoyance to one I couldn't read. It was like I rendered him speechless.

"Joe… you're not gay… right?"

He blinked once, and then color lightly flushed to his cheeks.

"Huh? No. God, no, Demi. I'm not… I'm not gay."

I smiled. "Didn't think so," I said, content.

"So, uh, we should probably get out of this bathroom, before people start to think we're involved," he said, winking my way.

That wiped the smile clear off my mouth.

"So, would you be totally horrified if people thought that?"

"Well, yeah. People go nuts with rumors, Demi. I don't need people thinking that we're more than just friends."

Ouch. That was practically a rejection slapped to my face.

(Selena's P.O.V)

"You never answered my question, you know." I said, once the girls had fled off with giddy giggles.

"Question?" he asked, playing the clueless card again.

"Yes, Nick. How many times do you want me to say it? Are you gay?"

He gulped, obviously coming to terms with the fact that if he didn't answer me, I would have gone, like, female ape shit on him.

"Well, not necessarily, but there's… there's this one guy that I really like…"

"Joe?"  
He looked up at me with wide eyes, and his cheeks glowed red.

"Is it obvious?" he asked, now obviously concerned that he would blow his cover or something.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it. I think I'm the only one who's noticed. But just between you and me, I think he has feelings for you too. I mean, just the other day, he was talking up a storm of insults about you. I didn't think he'd ever compromise about it either, but now he's all buddy-buddy with you. If you ask me, it's all a little suspicious. No one can just change their minds about someone within a single day unless some sort of feeling has developed."

His smile following that was incredible, like I just told him that in fact, the world wasn't going to end tomorrow.

"But you won't tell him, right? You'll let me do it?"

"It's just between you and me," I promised.

"Great," he smiled, thanking me with his eyes.

"Oh! And, uh, Nick? Uhh, heh. Can I get your autograph?" I asked, while shuffling through my backpack for a notebook.

He laughed a really hearty laugh then, which by default made me smile.  
"Yeah, sure."

He would definitely make some lucky girl happy one day. Or maybe some lucky Joey.

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Please review! :D

With Love, Carlie :D


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